By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — My kingdom for a clutch hit.

The Symmes Valley Lady Vikings were on the verge of a key hit but couldn’t get enough of them as they lost 4-3 to the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Monday.

“We played well. We had one error that didn’t hurt us. But we just couldn’t get the key hit,” said Lady Vikings’ coach Jeff “Odie” Estep.

“It was as even a game as you could get. A hit here or there and we win. We left eight runners in scoring position.”

Symmes Valley (10-8, 7-4) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kylie Thompson led off with a walk, moved up on a passed ball and scored on a double by Jocelyn Carpenter.

Clay (13-7, 9-2) took the lead with 2 runs in the second.

Kalley Ware singled, Jordyn Mathias doubled and then Morgan McCoy and Sarah Cassidy had RBI singles.

Symmes Valley tied the game in the top of the third when Kylie Thompson singled, moved up on a fielder’s choice and scored on a hit by Desiree Simpson.

Clay came right back to go up 3-2 as Shea Edgington doubled and scored on a single by Ware.

The Lady Vikings tied the game again in the top of the fifth when Kayley Maynard doubled leading off and scored on a hit by Lauren Wells.

But Clay scored the winning run in the sixth as Mathias doubled with one out and scored following singles by Lynsey Loop and Cassidy.

Wells took the loss as she gave up 4 earned runs, struck out 8 and walked just one. Preslee Lutz was the winner as she allowed 2 earned runs, fanned 7 and walked one.

Maynard was 2-3 with a double and a triple for the Lady Vikings who had 8 hits. Simpson was 1-2 with an RBI, Carpenter 1-3 with a double and RBI, Emma Ridenour 1-3, Thompson 1-4 and Wells 1-4 with an RBI.

Clay had 11 hits with Mathias going 3-3 with 2 doubles, Ware and Cassidy 2-3, Edgington 2-3 with a double and both McCoy and Loop 1-3.

The Lady Vikings host Whiteoak at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the sectional finals.

Sym.Valley 101 010 0 = 3 8 1

Ports. Clay 021 001 x = 4 11 1

Lauren Wells and Jocelyn Carpenter. Preslee Lutz and Kalley Ware. W-Lutz (IP-7.0, H-8, R-3, ER-2, K-7, BB-1. L-Wells (IP-6.0, H-11, R-4, ER-4, K-8, BB-1). Hitting-SV: Kayley Maynard 2-3 2B 3B, Emma Ridenour 1-3, Jocelyn Carpenter 1-3 2B RBI, Desiree Simpson 1-2 RBI, Lauren Wells 1-4 RBI, Kylie Thompson 1-4; Clay: Jordyn Mathias 3-3 2-2B, Kalley Ware 2-3, Sarah Cassidy 2-3, Shea Edgington 2-3 2B, Morgan McCoy 1-3, Lynsey Loop 1-3.